Craig and I performed in choir and theatre together on many occasions (along with David Hawkins - also deceased). When I heard of his passing I was crushed. For many years I lost my desire to sing and even today I think of Craig as I am singing.
I think of Craig when i see a stage and i remember how talented he was. I heard he was performing with joel grey in cabaret in new york before he got ill. Way to go Craig, you are missed. Paige
Craig was amazingly talented, with a wonderful singing voice. He passed away just as the Joel Grey Cabaret tour came to Wolf Trap. Out of respect for him, the touring company deleted his part from the performances here. Anyone who knew the musical score knew exactly what was taken out. The Cabaret staff were very kind and brought tapes of his performances to his memorial gathering.
Craig was my friend and my date for Homecoming, Junior Prom and many other fabulous evenings out with friends in the drama/music crowd. Do any of you remember the senior talent show when the entire freshman and sophmore female population was in an innocent teen idol collective swoon over his "Talk to Me" solo? Or the energy in the Langly auditorium when Craig sauntered down the main aisle singing under spotlight at the beginning of "Oklahoma!" Do you remember 20 of us in a circle on our huge sectional sofa, wet hair and damp bathing suits at 1 am after the jr. prom playing "truth or dare"? He was my first and best gay male friend, even though none of us spoke of that in high school. I remember amazing nights going out dancing at the Holiday Inn at Tysons Corner. Jayne Karsten (choreographer and teacher--Ginger Rogers' dance practice stand-in) had equipped us with professional-caliber jitterbug skills. For some crazy reason, they kept letting us in as long as we didn't drink. A gang of post-musical show Langleyites would light up the dance floor with flips and throws that delighted the business travel crowd.
I remember one formal Langley dance that was outside under lights....Junior Jam? He sang in my ear as we were slow dancing under the trees and twinking strings of lights. I remember thinking..."this is one of those moments that EVERY woman deserves--to be really cherished by a friend who understands women, who understands that romance isn't sex".
I remember meeting his partner after a show at the Kennedy Center. The partner just didn't understand how a pre-"out", heterosexual "date" from the past could be anything but competition. It was a losing battle, and we said goodbye rather than increase friction with his partner. We promised to reconnect and go out to dinner when the show got to Atlanta. I just didn't have the heart to see the show when it finally came to town without him.
Craig touched a lot of people with his kind, generous and sweet soul. Because of him, I have gone out of my way to find "boy" friends whereever I go. I was on the board of the AIDs hospice in Atlanta and was always on tap when someone needed an appropriate date in the 90s when partner-track lawyers and consultants were not out at work. My gay male friends were always there to swoon over the latest boyfriend photos or help piece me back together when the romantic relationship crumbled. We helped each other through IPO failures and dotcom disasters of the 90's. I had Craig to thank everytime a boy-friend advised me in "what not to where" style to get that hideous dress off my butt immediately because it maked me look a mile wide, or buy that print regardless of cost because it was simply "divine". Craig enriched my life in high school with who he was, and by opening my mind and heart---has continued to touch the rest of my life.
Carol Vooght
I knew Craig since we were kids. He was my friend and a neighbor.John Chomeau
Craig and I performed in choir and theatre together on many occasions (along with David Hawkins - also deceased). When I heard of his passing I was crushed. For many years I lost my desire to sing and even today I think of Craig as I am singing.Wendi Paige Gardner (Crouch)
I think of Craig when i see a stage and i remember how talented he was. I heard he was performing with joel grey in cabaret in new york before he got ill. Way to go Craig, you are missed.Paige
Karen Detweiler
Craig was amazingly talented, with a wonderful singing voice. He passed away just as the Joel Grey Cabaret tour came to Wolf Trap. Out of respect for him, the touring company deleted his part from the performances here. Anyone who knew the musical score knew exactly what was taken out. The Cabaret staff were very kind and brought tapes of his performances to his memorial gathering.He definitely passed too soon and too young.
Terri/Therese Flynn (Karsten)
Craig was my friend and my date for Homecoming, Junior Prom and many other fabulous evenings out with friends in the drama/music crowd. Do any of you remember the senior talent show when the entire freshman and sophmore female population was in an innocent teen idol collective swoon over his "Talk to Me" solo? Or the energy in the Langly auditorium when Craig sauntered down the main aisle singing under spotlight at the beginning of "Oklahoma!" Do you remember 20 of us in a circle on our huge sectional sofa, wet hair and damp bathing suits at 1 am after the jr. prom playing "truth or dare"? He was my first and best gay male friend, even though none of us spoke of that in high school. I remember amazing nights going out dancing at the Holiday Inn at Tysons Corner. Jayne Karsten (choreographer and teacher--Ginger Rogers' dance practice stand-in) had equipped us with professional-caliber jitterbug skills. For some crazy reason, they kept letting us in as long as we didn't drink. A gang of post-musical show Langleyites would light up the dance floor with flips and throws that delighted the business travel crowd.I remember one formal Langley dance that was outside under lights....Junior Jam? He sang in my ear as we were slow dancing under the trees and twinking strings of lights. I remember thinking..."this is one of those moments that EVERY woman deserves--to be really cherished by a friend who understands women, who understands that romance isn't sex".
I remember meeting his partner after a show at the Kennedy Center. The partner just didn't understand how a pre-"out", heterosexual "date" from the past could be anything but competition. It was a losing battle, and we said goodbye rather than increase friction with his partner. We promised to reconnect and go out to dinner when the show got to Atlanta. I just didn't have the heart to see the show when it finally came to town without him.
Craig touched a lot of people with his kind, generous and sweet soul. Because of him, I have gone out of my way to find "boy" friends whereever I go. I was on the board of the AIDs hospice in Atlanta and was always on tap when someone needed an appropriate date in the 90s when partner-track lawyers and consultants were not out at work. My gay male friends were always there to swoon over the latest boyfriend photos or help piece me back together when the romantic relationship crumbled. We helped each other through IPO failures and dotcom disasters of the 90's. I had Craig to thank everytime a boy-friend advised me in "what not to where" style to get that hideous dress off my butt immediately because it maked me look a mile wide, or buy that print regardless of cost because it was simply "divine". Craig enriched my life in high school with who he was, and by opening my mind and heart---has continued to touch the rest of my life.